Cake Is Good
by Hepsa
Summary: Sequel to Jelly Is Good. Lily, James and their friends are out of Hogwarts, carrying on their lives. More angsty and less fluffy than JIG. LEJP SBOC RLOC PPOC
1. The New World

**Disclaimer: **It STILL isn't mine, even after 28 chapters of a fic. Strange.

Chapter 1: The New World

* * *

It was the summer holidays. Or rather, it _wasn't_ the summer holidays. "Holiday" implies that you'll return to school afterwards. But Lily Evans, James Potter and their friends had left Hogwarts forever, and all eight of them were lounging around at Lily's house, not quite knowing what to do with themselves. Lily had conjured up five comfortably squashy beanbag chairs to go with the two she already had; she herself had opted to sit on the bed.

'It's weird,' she said to the room at large. 'It's the summer holidays, but there's no homework or anything.'

'No Lily, what's weird is that you _miss_ the homework. I miss the Quidditch,' said James.

'Already?' asked Remus incredulously, 'But no, what I think is _really_ weird is that you're _engaged_.'

They all laughed, except for Caroline.

'Not really. I saw it coming since the first day, you know,' she said. 'When James first set his eyes on Lily, and they nearly popped out.'

Everyone laughed for a while, before a long silence began. This was not the first one that day. There were no classes to complain about, no teachers to gossip about and no Potions essays to copy off Lily.

'I got an apartment,' said Sirius suddenly. 'In London. It's expensive, but it's worth it. Caroline and I are moving in together.'

'Really?'

'That's great!'

'When did this happen?'

'Yesterday,' said Sirius. 'We're moving in next week.'

'You and Caroline are so lucky!' said Sarah. 'You see so much of each other. You're going to live together, _and_ you'll be together at work, once the Auror training program starts in September.'

'Yup, I've got him all to myself,' said Caroline, grinning.

The room relapsed into silence, until Lily put down her packet of Peppermint Toads and voiced what was on everyone's mind.

'It's so awful!' she said. 'Everything's so awkward between us all. We have nothing to talk about now that school's out! Are our lives really that boring?'

'It would appear so,' said Peter, sadly.

'I'm bored,' moaned Suzie. 'Put some music on or _something_, Lily, you're the host, it's up to you to entertain us.'

Lily sighed, but got up, pulled a record from its sleeve and put it into the player. There was a scratching sound for a minute, before the sound of ABBA's "SOS" filled the room.

'Ooo, ABBA!' squealed Suzie, moving her head to the beat. 'My favourite!'

'I knew you'd like it,' replied Lily, grinning and sitting back down on the bed.

Everyone relapsed into silence.

* * *

After a while, the jug of lemonade ran out. Lily was the unanimously, apart from herself, elected "Re-filler of Drinks and General Fetcher and Carrier", and so she hoisted herself off the bed, picked up the empty jug, and, stepping over Sarah, went to the door, and then downstairs. Conjuring some ice as she walked, she went into the kitchen, to find her mother sitting at the kitchen table, with puffy eyes and several used tissues.

'Mummy, what's wrong?' she asked, concerned, putting the jug down and coming over to her.

'Do you remember that shop where we got the decorations for your room, when you were about eight?'

'All Kinds of Everything?' asked Lily, thinking of her recent excursion there with James to buy a disco ball. 'Of course. Why?'

'And do you remember the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Owen?'

Lily nodded, suddenly feeling a sense of dread.

'Well, they… they,' Mrs. Evans hung her head and took a deep breath. 'They were found dead.'

Lily let out a strangled gasp, and said urgently, 'What? _How_?'

'Their shop didn't open this morning and when Mrs. Peguin, you know, that nice French lady, opened it, they were found lying on the floor, dead,' replied Mrs. Evans, starting to cry again.

'How?'

'No one knows. They were just… dead. The only sign something was wrong was the green smoke, which seemed to be in the shape of a skull, floating above the shop.'

Lily closed her eyes, her worst fears having been confirmed. She didn't feel sad, or sick, or anything you're supposed to feel when confronted with death, but simply empty, no real emotion. She nodded blankly, trying to understand, to process what had happened.

'I'm going back upstairs,' she said quietly, knowing there was nothing else she could really say.

'All right,' her mother said, and Lily turned away from her and left the room. She walked slowly up the stairs and paused outside her room, before taking a deep breath and opening the door. Her friends had not seemed to have moved at all while she had been downstairs, although the pile of chocolate that had been at the end of the bed seemed to have moved to be by Caroline's beanbag. Remus turned his head to an awkward position over his shoulder, and looked at her.

'Hey, Lily,' he said. 'Where's the lemonade?'

Lily didn't reply, but instead sat down heavily on her bed, and put her head in her hands. James and Sarah were up and by her side in an instant, and the others were sitting up more straight, worried expressions on their faces. James and Sarah sat either side of Lily, and put their arms around her.

'Lily?' asked Sarah tentatively, 'what's wrong?'

Lily removed her hands from her face and looked at her blankly.

'The Owens are dead,' she said quietly, and covered her face in her hands again. James let out a squeak, and held Lily tighter, as she continued, 'They were discovered this morning. The Dark Mark was above their shop.'

'The couple you saved?' asked Caroline, uncertainly.

'But we didn't!' said Lily suddenly, removing her hands and staring at the room at large. 'We only bought them more time! He went and killed them anyway!'

No one knew what to say to this, and so they settled on just looking back at her, their faces as expressionless as hers. Lily slowly brought her eyes down, leaned back into James' arm, and, finally, started to cry.

* * *

Hepsa and I wrote most of it together. Credit to Lamia for Gamma-ing.

We apologise for the short length, but we have such bad writer's block that we need to post it before we can right more. Just like Chapter 17 of JIG (also a very short chapter).

We'd like to say hello to the real Jemima Owen and Eric Peguin because we forgot to when they first came in. We're sorry to say that this is likely to be your last mention.

Review replies:

To Princess Eclipse, pyrotechnic and Prongs76: I'm glad you enjoyed the fic, and here is the sequel for you!

MssrBlaze: You are welcome to join C.A.P.W.P.P., if you would like. It now has six members! (Me, my two brothers, Hepsa, moony07 and you… possibly Lamia as well). I'm glad you liked the story, and don't worry, you weren't rambling.

Moony07: You don't have a problem with S.O.S., do you? And feel welcome to write long reviews, we like them! And glad you liked the story! Here's that sequel you demanded.

Review topic: ICT teachers who are getting stressy about us not doing proper work. It _is_ proper work! Just not school work!

Larka :)


	2. The Funeral

**Disclaimer:** Actually last night, J. K. Rowling told me that they _are_ all mine: she was giving them to me as a very late Christmas present. Then I woke up.

Chapter 2: The Funeral

* * *

Previously: _'But we didn't!' said Lily suddenly, removing her hands and staring at the room at large. 'We only bought them more time! He went and killed them anyway!'_

_No one knew what to say to this, and so they settled on just looking back at her, their faces as expressionless as hers. Lily slowly brought her eyes down, leaned back into James' arm, and, finally, started to cry._

* * *

Later that week, Lily, Petunia and their parents received an invitation to the Owens' funeral. Lily had been planning to meet up with the others at Peter's house that day, but her friends told her that they could meet up the next day instead, and made themselves scarce, except for James.

'I met them too, Lily. I want to come,' he told her firmly.

'But James,' she replied, upset. 'I don't know if… I…' She trailed off. 'I suppose you did sort of know them… it's just… you're not…'

'It'll be alright, Lily, I promise,' said James, cutting her off and smiling sadly. 'I'll take Petunia's invitation; she's not going, is she?'

Lily nodded, and nuzzled into him for comfort, silently grateful for his compassion.

* * *

They arrived at the church at midday. It was a beautiful summer's day, and it seemed as if the weather was mocking them. Lily, her parents and James, all wearing black, entered the church, and were relieved to find it was cool inside. They were each handed a hymn book and sheet with the order of hymns and the service on it. Not talking, they all sat down in a pew a few rows from the back, and waited.

Before long, the service started, and, with a funeral march playing in the background, the coffins were brought down the aisle. The coffins were placed at the front, and the vicar stood up to talk about the couple.

'Public-minded, generous people,' Lily thought of the free disco ball, and felt a lump in her throat, 'who never stopped to think of their own sacrifices, but instead of what they could achieve for the good of society…'

Lily suddenly looked up at the vicar. Had he _known_ the Owens? Yes, they were kind, friendly, family people, but 'the good of society'? They ran a bric-a-brac shop! Did she even know anyone who _was_ like that?

'And now, their daughter Emma would like to say a few words,' said the vicar. He stepped away from the podium, and a tall woman with curly reddish-brown hair replaced him. She cast her eyes over the congregation and said,

'Thank you all for coming here today. I'm sure my parents would have been very happy to see you all, but I'm not sure they'd have liked the fuss.' She smiled, and continued, 'People who knew them will know that they were simple people who just liked to carry on quietly with their everyday lives, stopping every now and then for a mug of sweet tea. I will miss them, as I think we all will, but I think we can best honour their memory by being happy, successful and living a good life. Thank you.'

She bowed her head slightly and stepped away from the podium, and the vicar stepped up again to announce the first hymn.

* * *

About an hour later was the funeral wake, which was being held in the garden at Emma Owen's house. Lily's parents were deep in conversation with some friends of theirs, and James was getting Lily a drink. Lily herself was waiting for him by a rose bush when she saw Emma Owen was sitting alone, apart from her daughter, at a table on the patio. She took a look at James, who was standing waiting for lemonade, and went over to Emma and her daughter.

'That was a really good speech,' she said.

'Thanks,' said Emma, smiling. 'I spent a week trying to phrase it properly. I wanted it to sound like them.'

'That came across really well,' said Lily. 'May I sit down?'

'Of course,' said Emma, and Lily pulled out a chair from under the table and sat down with her.

'What's your daughter's name?' she asked, gesturing to the little girl, who was trying to pull up a fistful of grass.

'Mary. She's named after her grandmother on her father's side.'

'Oh, I see.' She spotted James looking around for her, holding two nearly full cups of lemonade, and waved him over. He didn't see her for a few seconds, but soon did, and was at the table quickly. He placed the cups down on the table as Lily said,

'Um, Mis-'

'No, please, call me Emma.'

'Emma, then. Emma, this is James Potter, my fiancé. And – I don't think I mentioned it – I'm Lily Evans.'

'Pleased to meet you,' said James. Emma looked at him curiously for a second, and then at Lily.

'Are you the daughter of John and Beatrice Evans?'

'Yes,' said Lily, not seeing where this was going.

'Are you the "Bea's girl and her friend James" that…' Emma paused and thought carefully for a second, before leaning towards them and lowering her voice, 'that my parents gave a free disco ball to?'

Lily immediately realised that Emma wasn't just talking about her parents' gift. She nodded, and Emma leaned closer.

'They told me why,' she said. 'That was very brave of you.'

'Thank you,' said Lily quietly. 'When I heard the Death Eaters, I couldn't just leave them. I'd do it for anyone.'

Emma looked thoughtful, and smiled.

'Would you really?'

Lily nodded again.

'Of course,' said James.

'Well, I can't say much about it now, not only because everyone's around, but… speak to Albus Dumbledore. Tell him I told you to. I think he'll understand.'

Emma leaned back to scoop up her daughter.

'Come on, Mary, there's Auntie Jane.'

Mary squealed with delight and started waving, as Emma stood up and left the table.

Lily turned to James, her brow wrinkled in confusion. James looked back at her, wearing the same expression.

'Shall we speak to him, then?' he asked.

'I don't see why not,' she replied. 'It can't hurt, can it?' She paused, and added, 'What do you reckon it is?'

'I've heard rumours that he founded a secret society against Voldemort and the forces of evil in general,' volunteered James, grinning.

'She did sound a bit cloak and dagger, didn't she? Maybe the rumours are true,' said Lily. James put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him.

'Don't look so worried!' he said. 'He's not going to bite, is he?'

'I know,' said Lily, but she looked slightly cheered. 'We'll go and see him tomorrow.'

* * *

Review replies:

littlenosedbookworm: Thanks! Here's the next chapter.

Prongs76: You're welcome to tell us what you think is going to happen.

Princess Eclipse: It (Lily's parents finding out) will be in Those Were The Days, an upcoming fic featuring scenes which didn't fit in to the main story.

MssrBlaze: You're welcome (for joining C.A.P.W.P.P.). I know exactly what you mean! It really annoys me when my parents tell me off for not doing my real work and for wasting my time on 'that fan_fic_tion thingie'. A. Can't they pronounce it properly? B. It _is_ real work! I have researched it so much, and... you described it perfectly.

moony07:My french teacher got really pissed at me writing in the middle of her lesson too. She even took my notebook away, which really annoyed me.

Review topic: The unfairness of responsible people who don't understand fanfiction.

Larka :)


	3. The Order Of The Phoenix

**Disclaimer:** I own nuzzing. Nuzzing, I say!

Chapter 3: The Order of the Phoenix

* * *

Previously: _James put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him._

'_Don't look so worried!' he said. 'He's not going to bite, is he?'_

'_I know,' said Lily, but she looked slightly cheered. 'We'll go and see him tomorrow.' _

* * *

The next day dawned hot and sunny again, and, early in the day, James Apparated to Lily's, just as she was brushing her hair. After a few shrieks of indignant modesty ("A few seconds earlier, and I would have been _changing_!"), they ate breakfast, and then returned to Lily's room, where they sat on the bed, listening to music. 

'We've heard this song so many times, Lily. Go and change it.'

Lily nodded, slid off the bed, and started flipping through her record collection. After a minute, she turned to look at him.

'We've heard them all, James… Let's leave.'

'And do what?'

'Well, weren't we going to visit Dumbledore?'

'Ah, yes,' said James. He hoisted himself off the bed, groaning with the effort. Lily had closed her record collection and was putting on her shoes.

'Wait a minute, James,' she said suddenly. 'We don't have any idea where he is!'

James considered this, and said, 'Well, no, we don't, but Hogwarts is a start.'

'Good point. Knowing Dumbledore, he might be there. Hogsmeade it is, then.'

'But… oh, yeah. No Apparition inside Hogwarts.' James flushed.

Lily rolled her eyes. She loved him, but sometimes he was completely hopeless.

'Come on, then.'

They thought hard of the Hogwarts gates, spun, and, a second later, arrived with a soft pop outside them. Lily sighed. The gates were shut and locked, which was, of course, to be expected.

'So, James,' she said, turning to him, 'The Honeydukes tunnel or the Shrieking Shack?'

'What?' asked James, completely flabbergasted. '_You_ know about the secret passages?'

Lily looked at him, amused.

'How on earth did you think Caroline always got her chocolate? We were in and out of Hogsmeade by the end of first year, let alone third.' She took a look at his incredulous face. 'You're not the only one who had fun at Hogwarts, you know.'

They agreed to get into the Hogwarts grounds via the passage in the Shrieking Shack, as the owners of Honeydukes would probably want to know why they were going through the cellar, and soon were in the damp passage to the Whomping Willow. It smelt quite strongly of a mixture of mildew, mud, and dog. Lily felt like holding her nose, but knew it would be melodramatic. However, she was glad they soon arrived at the end of the tunnel, even if it was at the Whomping Willow. As she ducked a branch, James pressed the knot on the trunk, and they walked up to the castle, noticed that the front doors were locked, and got in by virtue of a wide tunnel next to Greenhouse Two which came out behind a large mirror on the fourth floor.

After they had both climbed out, they set off for Dumbledore's office. As they reached the gargoyle, James pulled the same crumpled piece of parchment out of his pocket as he had done the previous time they had visited the Headmaster. Lily pursed her lips, and James muttered something and tapped it, looked at it for a moment before, muttering something else, seeming to clear it.

'Ice Mice,' he said, slipping the parchment back into his pocket. Lily looked accusingly at him as the gargoyle stepped aside, and they stepped onto the escalator-like spiral staircase.

'You said you'd tell me what that was, James.'

'I will, my Lily Flower, just not right now.'

Lily rolled her eyes, but made no comment. They reached the top of the stairs, and Lily knocked on the office door.

'Enter,' said Dumbledore's voice, and they opened the door and stepped inside. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, looking at them, a friendly smile on his face.

'Miss Evans, Mr Potter. This is a pleasant surprise. Please, sit down.' Lily sat down gingerly on one of the two chairs facing Dumbledore's desk, and James did the same next to her. 'May I inquire as to the occasion?'

Lily smiled, but it was James who answered.

'Well, yes, Professor. You see, do you remember when we asked to go to Muggle London to buy a disco ball?' Dumbledore inclined his head, and James continued, 'Well, when we reached the shop, we ran into Lord Voldemort and three of his supporters. We tried to help the Owens, and we managed to fight them off. We saved Mr and Mrs Owen, and they let us have the disco ball free. However, this summer, the Owens were murdered by Lord Voldemort. We went to their funeral and at the funeral wake, we met the Owens' daughter, Emma, and she recognised us from her parents' description, or so it sounded. She told us that we should come and speak to you, so… here we are.'

Dumbledore smiled gravely. 'Yes, I heard about the incident from Emma. And that does sound rather like the sort of thing she would do. Would you like to join the Order of the Phoenix?'

James and Lily stared at him. James mouth was ever so slightly open, and Lily thought that hers must be as well. She quickly closed it and said, knowing how feeble she must sound, 'Um, perhaps. But what exactly is the Order of the Phoenix?'

Dumbledore smiled again, and his eyes twinkled.

'I rather suspected you'd ask that particular question before agreeing, Miss Evans. You'd be surprised at the number of people who don't.' He paused for a moment, and fumbled with a drawer of his desk. 'Would either of you like a sherbet lemon?'

Lily accepted, but James declined, looking slightly puzzled, and Dumbledore continued.

'The Order of the Phoenix is a strictly secret society that I have set up to resist Voldemort and his supporters wherever we are able to. Anyone that we trust to support our side and to keep the Order's secrets can be a member; everyone is useful, whether they are Aurors, talented young people like yourselves, criminals who can tell us what is going on, or simply people who can be inconspicuous, as eyes-and-ears. We need all of them in the battle against Voldemort. Now, I ask you again, would you like to join?'

Lily knew that her mouth was open now. She felt faint. She had only just got out of Hogwarts, and she was already being offered the opportunity to do something really worthwhile in the fight against Voldemort. She looked at James, who nodded, and she said, in a voice that she was not entirely sure was her own, 'Yes. Yes, Professor Dumbledore, I think that we would like that very much.'

She smiled faintly. Dumbledore smiled back, the twinkle ever more prominent in his eyes. 'Good. I would like you two to be eyes-and-ears, like Miss Owen herself is. You are too young and…"green" I believe is the correct Muggle expression, to do more without dire risk to your lives. All you have to do is listen for information which could help our cause, come to the meetings, and, if the time comes, and you are needed, to fight for us, because there will be battles. I tell you this now, there will be casualties, and while I will do my utmost to prevent you being on the front line, I cannot guarantee you will not be needed to fight and even die to protect our society. Can you do this? There is no shame if you decline, though we would be very grateful to have you with us.'

Lily turned to James, who nodded again, and she began to answer, before James said, 'But Professor Dumbledore, can Sirius and Peter and Remus and Sarah and Suzie and Caroline…' He counted on his fingers, 'yes, that's all of them… can they join too?'

'Of course,' said Dumbledore. 'I trust them, and believe them to be witches and wizards of good moral fibre. Do you trust them?'

Lily thought of the first time she had comforted Sarah, the first time Caroline had made her laugh out of shock at a rude joke, the first time she had studied with Suzie, and nodded. James thought of the first time Sirius and he had played a prank, the first time Peter and he had played chess, the first time he had transformed on a full moon with Remus, and found himself nodding too.

'Of course, Professor Dumbledore,' said Lily. 'We would trust them with our lives.'

He looked gravely down at her. 'We must hope it never comes to that. Now, do you have any further questions, or must this altogether far too solemn interview for my taste come to a close? I will send you details of the first meeting by phoenix post. It's rather like owl post, but rather harder to intercept.'

Lily made to stand up, but then thought of something. 'Oh, yes, Professor Dumbledore. Do you know when our NEWT results will be coming back?'

'I should think they have already arrived, Miss Evans. They were due today.'

James stood up sharply. 'Merlin's beard, Lily, today!'

Lily smiled at Dumbledore. 'Thank you very much for speaking to us, Professor, but I think we must be getting back. I didn't actually take Divination, but even I can predict around six people arriving en masse at my house today. The only thing I'm not actually sure of is whether it's for mutual commiseration, or mutual congratulation. Goodbye, and thank you once again.'

* * *

Lily had been right. When she and James arrived back in her house, via Dumbledore's Floo, the Leaky Cauldron and an Apparition, they found her mother in the kitchen, looking rather frazzled, as she was surrounded by their six friends, all of whom had an unopened Hogwarts letter in their hands, and all of whom looked as if they had spent at least the last quarter of an hour asking Lily's mother if she knew where Lily and James were, and when they would likely be back. As Lily turned to the window, a large tawny owl fluttered over in a soft rush of wings. 

Lily felt the butterflies in her stomach grow larger and larger, and, as the owl held out its leg to her, she instinctively pressed her hand to her chest, as she always did when very nervous. She could feel her heartbeat, faster than usual, going underneath her hand, and although she knew that James had also received an owl, that her friends were telling her to hurry up and take the letter off the leg, but _don't open it_, and her mother was telling her that "Petunia should be round soon to see your results", all she could focus on was the letter tied to the leg of the owl in front of her.

_Miss L. Evans_

_The Kitchen_

_6 Redcliffe Street_

_London_

She was trembling, and she knew it. She reached out her hand towards the owl with fumbling fingers. As she tried to undo the string, she suddenly thought _I've battled Voldemort. Why are my NEWT results more important?_ This thought steadying her, the letter came away in her hand, but she ignored it, and turned to the rest of the group. Her sister had arrived, and was standing at the back of the room, a curious expression on her face; it looked almost as if although most of her didn't want to be there, a small part of her, the part that taught Lily how to plait her hair, and how do her nails, the part that had played with her when she was small, and taught her the proper consistency for mud pies, did want to be there very much, to see how her strange little sister had done.

'Are we going to open them, then?' came Caroline's rather strained voice. Lily nodded absently. 'Three, two, one…'

They all broke open their envelopes at the same time. Lily unfolded the letter inside hers, knowing that, despite any earlier thoughts, she was trembling again, and even more so than before.

_NASTILY EXHAUSTING WIZARDING TEST RESULTS_

_Pass Grades:  
__Outstanding (O)  
__Exceeds Expectations (E)  
__Acceptable (A) _

_Fail Grades:  
Poor (P)  
__Dreadful (D)  
__Troll (T)_

_LILY ANNABELLE EVANS HAS ACHIEVED:_

_Charms: O  
__Defence Against the Dark Arts: O  
__Herbology: O  
__History of Magic: O  
__Potions: O  
__Transfiguration: O_

Lily let out a shocked giggle, but it was unheard in the talking going on around her. She kept her eyes on the letter, barely registering the voices around her ('I didn't fail anything, and one O, in History of Magic, and that's all I was looking for. I thought I would have failed Potions or Defence Against the Dark Arts but…', 'Three E's, one A, in Herbology, one O, in Potions, and a D in History of Magic, but I'm not too bothered about that…', 'Right well, I can send off my letter to St. Mungo's now. I can train as a Healer!') when suddenly Lily felt an arm slip around her shoulders. She turned to look up at Petunia, who blushed and swiftly took her arm away as if it was a childish game where you poke someone and hide your arm when they turn to look.

'Six O's.'

Petunia looked puzzled. 'Is that good?'

'O is the highest pass mark, followed by E. Look.' She passed her letter over.

Petunia scanned the letter, and smiled faintly. She held out her arms stiffly to Lily, offering a hug. Lily stepped forwards to accept it, smiling. The two sisters hadn't hugged since before Petunia's wedding, the summer before; Petunia had never really forgiven her for the Marauders' interruption.

'Lily, that's… amazing,' she heard her say, as they broke apart. The rest of the group was silent, watching them as Petunia handed Lily back her letter and made to leave, kissing her mother goodbye.

James slipped his arm around Lily's waist and pulled her towards him.

'So, Lily Flower, how did you do?'

Lily glanced down at the letter in her hand.

'Oh, alright…' she muttered. Suzie started giggling, Sarah started snickering, and Caroline burst out laughing. The boys were all smiling, too. Lily frowned at them. 'What?' she asked, confused.

Caroline stopped laughing for a moment. 'OK, let's try it a different way, Lils –'

'Caroline!'

'Fine, _Lily_. How many O's did you get?'

'A couple.'

Remus looked at her, grinned, and passed her his letter. Three O's, in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and Transfiguration. The rest were all E's.

'More or less than that?' he asked.

'More,' admitted Lily shyly.

'How many more?' asked Suzie, who didn't know Remus' results; he had been as secretive with them as Lily was being.

'Three more.'

Remus gaped at her for a moment, and then hugged her.

'Good going,' he said, and nodded appreciatively.

Sarah waited until he had stepped away from Lily, and biffed him.

'That's for hugging Lily. Yes, I'm jealous and possibly even slightly obsessive. No, I don't care. Will one of you boffins tell us what's going on?'

Remus rubbed his arm, and shrugged. 'Lily got all O's. Happy now, Miss Jealous?'

Sarah squealed and hugged Lily hard. 'That's four more than me! I got mine in Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts. I got an A in Potions and an E in the rest.'

When she, in turn, had stepped away, Remus hit her on the arm. When she looked at him angrily, his face became a picture of innocence.

'You hugged Lily,' he said simply. Sarah gasped in outrage, and made to thump him again, when he grabbed her wrists, and kissed her, while she squeaked.

'Now, now, children, settle down,' drawled Caroline, leaning against Sirius. 'I'm afraid to say, Sarah, you can't join the Potions boff group. I've had a sneaky peek at peoples' results, and Suzie, Lily and I are in it.'

Sarah put on a fake pout. 'But that's all of you! Now I feel left out. I don't want to have to hang out with the _boys_.' She grimaced exaggeratedly, and then giggled at the mock-offended looks on the boys' faces. 'Only kidding. Who's in the Charms boff group then?'

'You, James, Remus and Lily. Same goes for Defence, before you ask.'

'Oooh, a double date! How exciting!' said Sarah,only semi-sarcastically. James grinned, and looked around at the group.

'Now that we've all got our NEWT results - O's in Charms, Defence and Transfiguration, an A in History of Magic, and the rest E's. before you ask– who wants to join a subversive reactionary vigilante group working in secret and extreme peril against Voldemort and his evil cronies?'

* * *

Sorry for the delay in updating. Lamia and I were both ill, and so Lamia couldn't Gamma it. But hopefully this chapter (which I am surprisingly proud of, even if Hepsa did originally suggest that the alternative chapter title should be "Chapter 3: Clichés round at Dumbledore's", and I must say, I did agree.) does make up for it. Soon, there will bethree more chapters on TWTD, so keep checking up on that. One of them is Petunia's wedding, which was mentioned above. Credit to Hepsa for Betaing and Lamia for Gammaing. 

Review replies:

Prongs76 – Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. What was your theory on the cake? You never said. I was intrigued.

Princess Eclpise - I'm glad you liked it.

Moony07 - I would have begged for my notebook, you're right, but I was too angry at my teacher. Urgh, yeah, my parents say that I need to "read proper books (Do you remember those, Larka, with _pages_ and _words…)_" and get off the computer generally. They are wrong. And not right.

Whatmoredoyouwant? – Thank you. Here, I've updated. Will you stop asking me if I've updated now?

Review topic: Maths tests. How is it that you _always_ run out of time, or, if for some freak chance you do not, you a) find a page you have not yet done on your last read-through, or b) your teacher tells the class in general 2 minutes before the end that you have to do something intricate that you had not noticed, and everyone else sits there nodding.

Larka :)


	4. The First of September

**Disclaimer:** I own three of the five characters in this chapter (not counting mentions), but I don't own anything else. Honest.

Chapter 4: The First of September

* * *

Previously: _'Oooh, a double date! How exciting!' said Sarah, only semi-sarcastically. _

_James grinned, and looked around at the group._

'_Now that we've all got our NEWT results - O's in Charms, Defence and Transfiguration, an A in History of Magic, and the rest E's. before you ask– who wants to join a subversive reactionary vigilante group working in secret and extreme peril against Voldemort and his evil cronies?'_

* * *

It was September the first, mused Sarah. All the Hogwarts students would be going back to school. So would she have been, a year ago. She desperately wanted to return to Hogwarts. It wasn't just like missing something, it was more than that; it was as if a part of her was gone. Ever since she had found out that she was magical, Hogwarts had been a major part of her life. She couldn't really imagine life going on without it, as shown by the fact that she didn't know what to do with herself now that it was gone. She had spent most of the morning up in her room, thinking about Hogwarts, and when she had finally come downstairs, she had sat in front of the television, watching banal Muggle soap operas and quiz shows, trying not to think about what was going on in the rest of her life, before giving up and retreating to her room again. She stopped staring out of the window at the sunset outside, and tried, once again, to think of something else.

Caroline, Sirius, James and she had all sent off their application forms to the Auror office, and had all been accepted. Lily had gone to speak with the Muggle Liaisons Office, and had finished her training to introduce Muggleborn children to the magical world ('Training! What a joke! For one, I'm a Muggleborn myself, for another, all I had to do was turn a teaspoon into a teapot, and it was over!'). Suzie had been going off to St. Mungo's every day since the twentieth of August, learning to become a Healer. Remus had had a bit of trouble getting into the Department of Mysteries, but, after showing them the results of his NEWTs and OWLs, he had finally been accepted. It didn't hurt that his recommendation had come Dumbledore himself, of course. Peter, meanwhile, had a job sorting out historical records at the Ministry of Magic, which earned him a steady, if small, income, while spending most of the rest of his time trying to find a teacher training course, although he had had no luck so far.

It was a long cry from their Hogwarts-days' togetherness.

Sarah sighed, and rolled over to bury her head in her pillow. She'd always hated change, ever since she was small. Everyone else seemed to be happy about moving on with their life, but all she wanted to do was return to Hogwarts. Knowing that she'd left her school, her safe place, knowing that it would never protect her again, scared her. She felt lost; not really knowing what she wanted to do with her life anymore. She'd always dreamed of being a policewoman, like her mother, and, when she'd discovered she was magical, an Auror, and so she should have been thrilled about her being accepted, but she wasn't; she felt almost numb with heartache for Hogwarts.

A girl with short brown hair which curled at the end, wearing a blue and grey school uniform, appeared in the doorway of Sarah's room. She was leaning against the doorframe, a concerned expression on her face. Sarah shifted her position on the bed to see her better, and waved sadly.

'Hello, Katie,' she said.

'Sarah?' Katie tilted her head slightly. Sarah and Katie had always been close, and since the death of their little sister Emma (when Sarah was eleven and Katie nine), they had been closer still. Katie could read Sarah like few others. 'Sarah, what's wrong?'

Sarah merely shook her head. It wasn't something she could really put into words, at least, not to her younger, Muggle sister.

'You… miss it, don't you? Hogwarts?' asked Katie.

Sarah smiled in spite of herself. Katie was far too perceptive for her own good sometimes. She nodded, and looked down. Katie hurried into the room and gave her sister a hug.

'Well, think about it this way,' she said. 'At least you had seven years at Hogwarts; I would have loved to be magical.'

'Yes, yes, I suppose,' said Sarah, not really feeling better, but not feeling any worse, either. 'You'd better go do your homework. Is Mum going to be late home from work again?'

When Katie nodded, Sarah's stomach squirmed, as it always did when faced with the knowledge that her mother was going to spend longer than necessary outside the relative safety of their home.

'I guess I'm making dinner then. Do you want omelette or pasta, Katie?'

'Um…' Katie grinned cheekily. 'Is both an option?'

'Both then, but don't expect this sort of generosity from me every day!' said Sarah, waggling her finger, and grinning. 'All right, let's go down.'

The two girls went downstairs, and Sarah entered the kitchen as Katie sat down in the living room. As she checked on the boiling water, and started breaking eggs in a small mixing bowl, Sarah reverted to feeling sorry for herself.

'Katie, I'm not going to have any,' she called. 'Will this be enough for you?'

She went into the doorway and held out the two bowls of food. Katie nodded, and then turned back to her textbook.

Sarah pulled a pan out of the drawer and started melting butter in it. She checked on the pasta and poured the egg mixture into the pan. She took out her wand and, when the omelette seemed partly done on one side, flicked her wand to flip it onto the other side. She felt like crying. When she had discovered she was magical, she never thought that she'd use her magic like this; cooking for her younger sister at the end of a long day of mooching around in her pyjamas.

Sarah got out cutlery as she turned the oven off, and with another couple of flicks of her wand, she had filled Katie's plate, and the two pans were lying in the sink.

'Katie! Food!' she called, setting the plate on the table. With two jabs and thoughts of "_Scourgify!_" the pots were clean, and, just when she thought she could sit down, the doorbell rang.

Sarah sighed, and padded out of the kitchen, as Katie entered it, and over to the front door. When she opened it, to her surprise, there was Remus. He was smiling broadly at her, and wearing a dinner jacket; it was the same one he had worn when they had performed Misty.

'Remus!' said Sarah, surprised. She looked down at her pyjamas and slippers, and blushed. 'Oh, I wasn't expecting… I… what are you doing here?'

'I've come to take you out,' said Remus, tactfully ignoring her outfit. 'I haven't seen much of you recently and we're both starting work soon, which might mean we'll see even less of each other, so…'

'Oh, um…' Sarah blushed again. 'Well, wait a minute, I need… I need to change. And I should probably tell Katie I'll be out.'

She went over to him, kissed him on the cheek, and disappeared up the stairs to her room. She went over to her wardrobe, trying to find something nice to wear for the evening among her dresses, which she hardly ever wore.

As she looked through them, she came across her old Hogwarts robes, which her mother had put away, forgetting to sell them off second-hand. She felt tears come to her eyes, but angrily wiped them away. Before long, she came down wearing a knee-length dress with a green skirt which faded to almost white around the neck.

She looked into the kitchen, to tell Katie that she was going to be out, and saw that Remus was sitting there chatting to her sister.

'I see you two have met,' said Sarah. 'Katie, Remus and I are going out this evening… Tell Mum where I am, all right?'

'Of course,' said Katie brightly, grinning, as Remus stood up to go. 'Have fun!'

Before Sarah and Remus had left the kitchen, however, Sarah saw Katie lift her head, and, very deliberately, look at Remus, and wink. Sarah looked at her suspiciously, but said nothing, and she and Remus left the house.

'Remus, where are we going?' asked Sarah when they had left. 'Do you know a restaurant?'

'Of course, I'd hardly ask you out to dinner if I didn't, would I? Wait a moment.'

He stuck out his right hand, and a huge triple-decker purple bus appeared from thin air. A pimpled young man, about their age, stepped off the bus, took a deep breath and launched into a prepared speech,

'Hello, my name is Ernie Prang and I will be your conductor this evening-'

'Thank you, Ernie,' said Remus, cutting him off. 'We would like to go to Bellany's, a muggle restaurant in London.'

'Erm, okay, ten sickles each.'

Ernie stepped back to let them on. As the sun was still up, there were armchairs on the Knight Bus instead of the beds that would later appear.

'So, Sarah,' said Remus once they had sat down. 'How have you been?'

Sarah took a look at him – surely he would know how she had been that day – but the look on his face was one of simple curiosity. 'All right. I was feeling awful today though, first of September and all.'

Remus put his arm around her. 'I know. That's why I asked you out today.' He smiled at her. 'What's your favourite thing to eat?'

'All those years at Hogwarts and you're still asking?'

'Yes, because they might not have served your absolute favourite dish there.'

She smiled, and said, 'Well, since I assume you're paying, oysters and caviar with white chocolate.'

He laughed. 'Look, if you get oysters and caviar, then you're paying. What's your actual favourite dish?'

'Well, a really good curry sometimes, but I think that my all-time favourite meal is magret de canard - duck breast. Is that allowed?'

'Of course. Whatever the lady wants. But I think we should limit ourselves to only the second most expensive champagne. It wouldn't do for me to exceed my income.'

* * *

After a few passengers were let off, it was their turn. They got off near a smart-looking restaurant in London. As Remus asked for a table for two, reserved under the name of Lupin, Sarah looked around. The restaurant was quite empty, and there were a few couples, but, Sarah noticed with a pang, no children or teenagers. She and Remus were definitely the youngest. They sat down at the table and were handed the menu, and the wine menu. Remus ordered a bottle of St. Emilion, and Sarah started looking through the menu for duck breast. At last, under meats, she found it.

'I see you've found what you're looking for,' she heard Remus say, intercepting her menu as she attempted to put it down. 'Mmm, it does sound nice. "Magret de canard with sautéed potatoes, asparagus and our special hollandaise sauce." It's not even particularly expensive. Good choice.' He grinned cheekily at her. 'But then again, you always do make good choices. Anyone who has the sense to choose me for their boyfriend is the epitome of good taste.'

She looked over at him with a weak smile. He looked concernedly at her, and seemed about to ask something when the wine arrived. He tasted it, nodded, and the waiter poured them both a glass.

'Are you ready to order now?'

Remus looked over to her, and she nodded.

'Yes, thanks. I'll have the coq au vin…'

'And I'll have the magret de canard. Thanks.'

The waiter took their menus, and they started to talk while they waited.

'No, really, Sarah, how are you? You don't seem… I don't know… all that good.'

'Well, I really miss Hogwarts. I can't believe we've actually left,' she took a sip of her wine, 'I mean, ever since I've known you, or Lily, or any of the others, we've been at Hogwarts. And now we're not there any more. It's horrible. It's like… I don't know… part of everything I know about you or anyone, part of all of my friendships… it's all been left behind. I can't stand it.'

'Oh, Sarah…' he said, reaching out his hand to pat her arm. 'It's not that bad, you know it's not…'

'I know it's not, Remus, but I… I don't know… Remus. There's something wrong with me, I swear.' She raised her tear-stained face to look at him. 'I mean, Lily and James can't stand to be apart, and Caroline and Sirius are living together, and I mean… just look at Suzie and Peter, but I miss Hogwarts so much, and… argh, this is going to sound awful, I _can_ stand to be away from you. I just want to go back to Hogwarts. Why? Is it that I don't love you?'

She'd stopped crying now, and was staring intently at the table. How had she let herself get so emotional?

'Sarah,' said Remus after a while. She looked up at him, and wiped the last tear from her cheek. He took a deep breath and continued, 'I… well, I know that I love you, and, well, only you can decide whether you love me or not. I…' He shifted in his seat. 'I can't give you your old life back, but I can give you a new one.'

'What?'

'I… I… Oh, Sarah,' Remus pulled a small box out of his pocket, and suddenly Sarah realised what was happening, 'I love you, and… will you marry me?'

He was down on one knee, the rest of the restaurant forgotten. Sarah stared, and realised that not only Remus, but everyone else in the restaurant was holding their breath. They must have looked very strange; the youngest couple there, her crying about, well, nothing, really, him proposing, almost like to comfort her…

She looked at him. She hadn't been lying; she really didn't know exactly how she felt, but when she looked down at him, and thought about the disco on the last day of term, and how happy she had been when finally, after a year of waiting, she had found out that he liked her too. She thought of all the daydreams and half-made plans of what her life would be like with Remus, and how happy the idea of it made her, she knew the answer straight away.

'Yes,' she breathed, tears coming to her eyes again. 'Yes, I will,' she repeated, louder. He took the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger, as everyone else clapped. Sarah looked at her ring for the first time. It was a thin gold band, with three diamonds set into it.

'Thank you,' she said, feeling stupid.

'You're welcome,' he said, smiling. 'It cheered you up, at least.'

* * *

Sorry for the delay in updating. It was the Easter holidays, so all three of us were away at different times, and had other distractions. Also, Larka and Hepsa are preparing for a school camping expedition, which took up some of our free time when back at school. It won't normally take this long. Credit to Lamia for Gammaing, and to Hepsa for Betaing and contributing a few bits.

Review replies:

englandrules – So so sorry it took so long. There are a long list of reasons, most of which are above. We were quite pleased with your pleading actually; it made us feel so loved. That's one of the many reasons we took so long to update – trying to work out if you'd leave a fourth review… (Kidding, kidding). Maths tests are just awful. They just _are_. I always get so majorly worked up before a maths exam, it's actually scary. I'm like, 'Aargh! No! No! I'm going to FAIL! I am! I don't know any of this! I'm going to fail, I'm going to fail, I'm going to fail… Oh Hepsa,' squeezes Hepsa's arm, 'tell me I'm not going to fail!'

'Larka, you're not going to fail…'

'Oh, but I am! I'm going to fail… Oh god! I have to go in now… wish me luck!'

Maths tests bring out the worst in me. They really do.

Cheese-iz-good – No, you had a really good point on the James thing, I think we've changed that now. About Petunia, though, I don't think she really hates Lily, she's just jealous, and she sort of bears a grudge. Lily was magical, see, and I'm sure Petunia would have _loved_ to be magical. Then she married someone magical, too, someone who incidentally wrecked her (Petunia's) wedding, and then they had a magical kid. Then they die, and she gets dumped with the magical kid, when she's trying to lead her normal, happy life, forgetting that she had any relatives who were magical, and therefore somehow better than her. See? Good on you for making me write one of my longest review replies ever!

Moony07 - Yeah, the whole maths test thing is awful. OK, I could not believe our marks. Sure, they're never really _bad_, but you know. I got 83, Lamia got 95, but Hepsa really outdid herself. She got 100. Geez.

Hepsa: squees squees SQUEES SOME MORE

fanficcie reader – Thanks, and we do have a lot of fun writing. Just hope you have as much fun reading as we do writing, really!

Prongs76 – You might be on the right track there – trying not to give too much away – but hey. Here's the update.

pickles.are.good.acorns.are.evil – We're glad you liked it, and here's what happens next. We updated at long last.

Review topic: Clouds. There are some really gorgeous clouds out of the window right now, so yeah. Clouds.

Larka :)


	5. Trouble In Paradise

**Disclaimer:** What do you think? If I did own them, I would be too busy trying to work out how I could write sequels and prequels to the books without killing off fanfiction and at the same time not killing of my universe, but there you go.

Chapter 5: Trouble in Paradise

* * *

Previously: _Sarah looked at her ring for the first time. It was a thin gold band, with three diamonds set into it. _

'_Thank you,' she said, feeling stupid._

'_You're welcome,' he said, smiling. 'It cheered you up, at least.' _

* * *

The first Order of the Phoenix meeting to which the eight friends would go was on the 15th of September. They had all received a message by phoenix post two days before, and all were excited, albeit nervous, about it.

'I wonder if there are any other Aurors who are members,' said Sarah in an aside to Caroline at work.

'Probably. They want to catch dark wizards, so it would make sense if they were part of the Order,' agreed Caroline.

'Shush!' said James, cutting in between them. 'Stop discussing… _you know_… where everyone can hear you.'

They all looked around, nervously.

'James, there's hardly anyone here,' snapped Caroline. 'It's not like we're saying very much, or speaking loudly.'

James nodded, but Sirius said, 'I think he's right, though, Caroline. We shouldn't really discuss it here.'

'I was just _saying_, Sirius…' she replied, angrily.

'I know! And I'm saying just _don't!_'

Sarah stepped between them to intervene, but before the argument could escalate any further, Alastor Moody and the trainee Aurors started filtering back into the room. Caroline opened her mouth to hiss something to Sirius, but Sarah cut her off.

'Later, Caroline. Argue _later_,' she repeated, as Sirius started to speak.

'Now, trainees, we'll be trying to hit moving targets again today. They'll be faster than they were yesterday. In positions...' The sound of shuffling filled the room as everyone took their places. 'Go! '

* * *

'Now,' said Remus, later that evening, when they were all sitting around at James', waiting for Peter to arrive so that they could go to the meeting. 'Who can tell Sarah and me what's different about us from you?'

Lily studied them for a minute. 'You both have brown hair.'

'No!' said Sarah, 'I mean, yes, but… no. That's not what we mean.'

'Ok… what's different from us, and say, Caroline and Sirius?'

'You still have brown hair,' replied James.

'You got 'O' in your Defence N.E.W.Ts' said Caroline, 'But… so did Lily and James.'

Sarah stared at her friends, and then hit herself in the forehead. 'No! Something that is different from us and both you,' she gestured at Caroline and Sirius, 'and you and Peter.' She gestured at Suzie.

Suzie looked puzzled.

'Do that again,' she said to Sarah.

'What, hit myself on the forehead?' said Sarah uncertainly.

'Yes.'

Sarah stared at Suzie with confusion, but did so.

'Got it!' exclaimed Suzie excitably. You're engaged! Oh, that's wonderful!'

Sarah grinned, and hugged Suzie. 'Geez, you guys are so perceptive,' she said to Caroline and Lily over Suzie's shoulder.

Caroline scowled. 'We just don't notice stuff like that.'

Lily grinned. 'Like a diamond engagement ring.'

Caroline turned on her friend. 'You've got one - you should be able to recognise it! Why haven't _I_ got one, Sirius?'

Everyone stared at Caroline.

Sirius spluttered, looking stunned. 'I didn't think you wanted one, I mean… it's a bit early, isn't it? I mean…'

Caroline rolled her eyes at Sirius. 'I know, I was joking.' She walked over to Sarah. 'Congratulations, really, good on you.' She put on a look of mock-envy. 'I'm very jealous. Can I steal your fiancé – he's a good sight brighter than my boyfriend.'

Sirius laughed. 'If you do that, then who am _I_ going to propose to?'

Sarah laughed too. 'Well, since Caroline will have taken Remus, me!'

The fireplace roared into life and Peter stumbled out of the fireplace.

'I'm here,' he said, holding onto the wall to steady himself.

'We noticed,' said Suzie, and she gave him a peck on the lips.

'You're the last one, so let's go,' said Remus, 'or we'll be late.'

Everyone looked up at the clock, startled, and all turned on the spot, to arrive, a moment later, outside Fabian and Gideon Prewett's house. Gideon ushered them in with a smile, and they sat down at a rapidly filling table in the kitchen. At last, Dumbledore entered, shutting the door behind him, and sat down. The headmaster's usual cheery demeanour was gone, replaced with a serious, almost stern look.

As Dumbledore greeted all the Order Members in turn, Lily caught sight of Emma Owen sitting in a corner, and gave her a small smile. Emma smiled back, and they all turned to face Dumbledore, who cleared his throat, and turned to Auror Moody for his latest report.

* * *

'Sirius, I've told you before – please can you just pick your boxers up? I mean, the laundry basket's right there! How hard is it to put them in?'

Sirius snorted. 'It's about as hard as it seems to be for you to put your socks in. Honestly, you don't wash your socks, you buy new pairs!'

Caroline rolled her eyes. 'That's a blatant lie, Sirius Black, and you know it. Besides, I do the laundry, so if anyone has a right to leave their clothes all over the place; it's the "washing fairy". Still believe in her, Sirius? Cause from here it looks like you do.'

'Well, if you're the washing fairy, then I'm the cooking fairy. I haven't seen you _touch_ the oven since we moved in.'

'Do you even know how our washing machine works, Sirius?'

'Coming from the girl who tried to boil an egg and forgot to light the gas.'

'An honest mistake. You started the washing machine without closing the door. That really takes a special kind of idiocy.'

Caroline and Sirius glared at each other for a moment. 'Oh, I give up. I refuse to mar my gorgeous features by frowning for too long. You're sleeping on the couch.'

'Caroline, you're being completely unreasonable!' Sirius started, but before he could say anymore, Caroline had slammed the bedroom door in his face. 'I don't know what gets into her sometimes,' he muttered to himself, and went into the next room. He opened the closet door, took out some blankets, and headed for the sofa.

The next morning dawned crisp and sunny, the end of the Indian summer they had been enjoying, but Sirius and Caroline were in no mood to appreciate it. Sirius, who was very put out about being made to sleep on the couch in his own flat, hadn't had a good night's sleep, and was waiting for Caroline to apologise. Caroline, on the other hand, who had fallen asleep straight away, and then woken up at around two and hadn't been able to sleep again for a couple of hours, was feeling too proud to apologise, and felt that if Sirius had really wanted to sleep on the bed with her, she wouldn't have stopped him, but he hadn't even _tried_.

They moved around the flat silently, Caroline making double buttered toast and scrambled eggs for breakfast, Sirius picking up all the clothes around the flat and after looking at the instructions for the washing powder, putting a white wash on. No apologies were exchanged.

On the other side of the country, Peter Pettigrew was sitting in Suzie's bedroom, watching her sleep warily, and waiting for the owl to come, so he could take the delivery before she woke up.

* * *

Squee! Exams are over! We had two weeks of exams, either side of half term (and my birthday!), and they're over. Of course, Hepsa already knows her maths mark; 98 and 95. Geez. I only hope that I got anything remotely like that (even though I am feeling pretty chuffed about my 89 in French). But never mind – my real hope is that I'll be able to update more frequently now.

Review replies:

Moony07 – I know. It's actually quite embarrassing how much I squee over stuff like that. There was this one lunch break, where I was in the ICT room with Lamia, and I was reading a fic – I'd completely forgotten that I was in the ICT room and is supposed to be blocked, and I started laughing in a 'squee squee squee!' kind of way. After about a minute of this, me completely not realising that I was doing this out loud in a public place, the ICT teacher came over and asked me why I was crying. I had to explain that I was laughing, which confused him greatly. Luckily the fic ended soon after that.

Prongs76 – Yeah. I thought it was quite clever. I mean, I think everything I write is clever : D, but I liked this. I like to confuse people. I like to let them think that they are right, and then say, 'Lo! You are wrong!' I like to lead people astray on my cunning paths of mystery and adventure. I like to ramble about things that make no sense and talk in overly poetic language.

Imogen – Thanks! Here's an update, and if Lamia gets her skates on, there could be an update for TWTD pretty soon too!

Review topic: Summer holidays. Wishful thinking right now, I know, but hey, a girl can dream.

Larka :)


	6. Of Squabbles

**Disclaimer: **All this time I've been away, I've been campaigning for ownership. It hasn't worked. Yet.

Chapter 6: Of Squabbles

_

* * *

_

Previously: _They moved around the flat silently, Caroline making two portions of buttered toast and scrambled eggs for breakfast, Sirius picking up all the clothes around the flat and, after looking at the instructions for the washing powder, putting a white wash on. No apologies were exchanged._

_On the other side of the country, Peter Pettigrew was sitting in Suzie's bedroom, watching her sleep warily, and waiting for the owl to come, so he could take the delivery before she woke up._

_

* * *

_

'Look, Mum! Please trust my judgement with James, OK?' Lily was stomping around the kitchen in high dudgeon.

Her mother sighed. 'Look, Lily, love. I trust your judgement; it's just… aren't you a little young? I mean – you're just eighteen, and he's not much older. Don't you think you should… I don't know, get out a little before… well… _marrying_? It's a big step, love. I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just…'

'Mum, don't, please! I know what I'm doing!' Lily sat down opposite her mother, and put her head in her hands, breathing deeply. 'I'm calm. Look, Mum,' she said, tucking her hair behind her ears in an effort not to blow her top, 'he's not doing this because he wants to keep me barefoot in the kitchen for the next twenty years – there's a war on. You can't really tell in the Muggle world, but there is one. People are dying, Mum - look at the Owens. Their _daughter_ got on the wrong side of him, and they were killed. What's he going to do to us? _We helped them,_ Mum. He's not going to like us. And soon, he's going to go after us. I know it. Us, and all our friends. Mum, we just… want to live before we die.'

Mrs. Evans leaned over and took her daughter's hand. 'Lily, I understand that this is really worrying you, and I'm worried, too. You're my daughter, Lily, and I just want the best for you. That's the thing, love. Don't you think, if there's a war on, you should try and have fun before all of this?'

'Mum! I am _engaged_, not becoming a hermit!' Lily found herself on her feet. 'Mum, I know what I'm doing. We're getting married next year. And Mum, what do you think all those years at Hogwarts were, if not fun? We _know_ each other, Mum. We know we love each other. We know we want to spend our lives together, however,' her breath hitched, 'however short they are.' She walked over to the cupboard, and took out a large chocolate cookie.

Her mother looked at her over her shoulder. 'That is _not_ breakfast food, Lily.'

'I'm starting a revolution in the breakfast foods industry.'

They looked at each other for a moment. Then Mrs. Evans sighed and took another cookie from the cupboard for herself.

'Lily, you are sure about this, aren't you?'

Lily rolled her eyes. 'Ho maggy _hah_?'

Mrs. Evans raised an eyebrow and disdained to comment.

Lily swallowed exaggeratedly. 'I _said_, "How many times?" Of _course_ I'm sure. It's something you ask yourself before saying yes, generally.'

Her mother still looked worried. 'Lily… love…'

'I'm sure. Just be happy for me, OK? There's enough time for crying at the wedding. And plus, you get to wear a really big hat.'

Her mother smiled. 'I know I should be happy for you. No mother likes seeing her children married off, Lily – it's hard. I felt like I was losing you when you went to Hogwarts, but I really feel I'm losing you now.'

'Mummy, you're _not_ losing me. You'll never lose me. You're just… sharing me.' Lily grinned. 'Dear god, I feel like a sandwich or something.'

'A sandwich? Don't be silly…'

'I'm not silly, I'm Lily!' It was a joke from when she was very small, and Petunia had declared her younger sister "strange and silly". The answer her father had given to the problem had also stayed in the family.

'You're my Lily, you're a silly billy. No, really, Lily, I mean it. You'd be a cocktail. Or possibly a lolly.'

Lily stared at her mother and then laughed. 'You are so strange! Why on earth would you share a cocktail with James? Or a _lolly_?'

Her mother grinned. 'Well, you never know. He wants to share you with me, doesn't he? Shows his tastes are a bit iffy from the off.'

'I'm getting dressed. I have a date with my fiancé, and I shall tell him what you said.'

Lily stuck her nose in the air, and closed her eyes, a look of mock-indignation on her face, before leaving the kitchen.

_

* * *

_

In another part of London, Caroline was sitting on the sofa in the living room of the flat, having just washing up, staring intently at her left hand. She suddenly stood up and walked over to Sirius, who was reading the _Daily Prophet_ on the armchair. When she was close to him, too close for comfort, she waved the hand in his face.

'Sirius Terenus Black. What do you see here?'

Sirius looked down at the hand, and then back up at her face, where fury was blazing.

'A hand?'

She smiled sweetly, if not sincerely. 'Precisely. And you know what is interesting about that? It's a hand. Just a hand. Nothing else there. Sirius, I live with you. We sleep in the same bed every night. I do your laundry. And what do I have for that? Nothing!'

'Are you saying that spending all this time with me is a chore, Caroline? Because, you know, if you _want_ to leave, you're perfectly welcome to do so!'

Caroline took a step back. 'Somebody never saw _The Crucible_,' she singsonged. 'There is a promise made in every bed, Sirius! But that's the only promise I have! What kind of girl do you think I am?' She turned away from him.

He stood up, completely confused, and angry with it. 'Caroline, yesterday you said you didn't want an engagement ring!'

She turned back to face him. 'Well, maybe I've changed my mind! Maybe I _do_ want a ring! I'm not some kind of tart! I want you to _recognise_ that! And do you know what else I want? I want you to stop acting like I have split personality disorder every single time I get angry!'

'Well, you are a different person! And I _do _recognise that! But you know why I don't want to give you a ring, Caroline? Sometimes I have no idea whether I _do_ want to spend the rest of my life with you, and if I give you a ring and then decide I don't, then I'm slightly screwed, aren't I?'

Caroline stared at him. The look on her face was one Sirius had never seen before. It wasn't hurt, though hurt was there. It wasn't indignation, though indignation seemed to be fighting for room too. It wasn't even anger. It was pure, outright betrayal. She looked like she simply couldn't believe her ears, no matter what previous experience told her, and it was not a nice sensation. She turned, and ran from the room.

Sirius put his head in his hands. He didn't even know what had possessed him to say that. Partly it was true, but the main reason was that he thought he wasn't ready for it. But whatever the reasons really were, there was no justification whatsoever for that remark, and he knew it.

He sat back down on the chair, trying to work out whether Caroline wanted his company or not, when he heard crying coming from the bedroom. He felt like punching himself. He had never heard Caroline cry before – it simply didn't seem to be in her emotional make-up to do so.

But that wasn't the only problem. He had no idea how to deal with a crying Caroline. Laughing, he'd laugh with her. Flirty, he'd flirt back. In a mood, he could get her out of it. Romantic, he was fine. Angry, well, he could do angry as well as the next man, and argumentative was simple – just argue. But crying he'd never had to deal with. There didn't seem to be anything to do.

He walked over to the bedroom door, and listened, his ear pressed up against the wood. He could hear Caroline sobbing through it, and the sound made him want to hurt something badly – preferably himself, simply for doing this to her. She sounded distraught. It wasn't just the fact that they weren't engaged like rest of their friends, he knew that. There was the hurt and pure, unadulterated betrayal of him telling her he didn't even want to, and on top of that, there was the underlying, constant worry of the war penetrating every waking moment, and quite a few of the sleeping ones as well. He remembered suddenly that her father was a Muggle.

He knocked on the door. 'Caroline?'

'Sod you, Sirius Black! Leave me alone!' she wailed, and her sobs increased in volume and rapidity. 'I… don't… _like_… you right now!'

Sirius knew that he should leave her alone. She probably would throw something at him if he went in now. Still, he opened the door, and went in. She lifted her head from where she was lying, flat out on the bed, and he had the chance to see that her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and her face streaked with tears, before she took her wand out, and shot sparks at him. He dodged them, and came to sit by her on the bed.

'Piss off, Sirius!' she mumbled into the mattress, but made no further attempt to remove him. He lifted his hand, and, after a moment's hesitation, started to stroke her hair. At first, she tensed up, but soon she relaxed, and her sobs began to subside, just a little.

'Caroline, I am so incredibly sorry.' He placed his other hand on her back, and started making soothing, circular motions. 'That was completely unjustified, I know. It's not even true.'

Caroline sniffed, and hiccoughed. 'It's a little bit true, Sirius, admit it,' her voice was muffled by the mattress, but he could hear that it was shaky, 'if it wasn't even a little bit true, I wouldn't be so upset. I _know_ I'm hard to deal with. I'm a pain. I'm high maintenance. I don't _deserve_ someone like you.'

'Caroline, of _course_ you do. And I would like to think that I deserve you, because – Caroline, look at me, please?' She lifted her head to look at him, and he took his hand off her back to cup her cheek. 'Caroline, I don't care about deserve. I _need_ you. And you know why I won't give you that ring? Because we don't need to prove it with a ring, and besides, we don't need it yet. We're not going down in this war, Caroline Hawling. We are going to survive this. We are going to come through it, and we are going to come out on top. We are going to win this, Caroline, and when we've won, and when we both feel ready, that's when I'll propose. Because now's too soon, but we will get engaged, when it's the right time. I promise you.'

He leaned in, and kissed her. He could taste the salt in her tears that had coursed past her mouth, but mostly all he could taste was her – a strange, unique taste that he couldn't relate to any food, but it was the right taste, he always felt. She was kissing him back, now, and they, suddenly unbalanced, fell down onto the bed, oh, and she was moving her hands lower, and they were unbuttoning his shirt, he was moving his hands in response, and they slid up her side, making her inhale deeply, and still their hands were moving, and still they were kissing, until suddenly she was on top of him, straddling his waist, holding him possessively and kissing him intensely.

_

* * *

_

I hope you like that, and I hope to high heaven I did that right, especially the last part. (Larka puts on her worried face, then takes it off and replaces with highly apologetic face). I would like to say now, for the record, that I never dreamed it would take this long to update. The thing was, I wasn't really sure what was going on in this chapter, and there were the exam results, and the reports, and the coursework, and the not-doing of same, and the friend coming back from Beijing, and the going-away-to-France-for-three-weeks-and-then-bringing-back-two-Frenchies-with-Lamia, and the Hepsa-going-off-to-the-States-and-then-her-plane-is-cancelled-in-the-terrorist-kafuffle, and through all of this, I had no idea what to write, and then suddenly, today, I found I did, so I stayed up till ten to one writing it. Man, I love a computer in my room.

That's not really the point, though. My point is that I am absolutely terrifically sorry about how absurdly long it took for me to write this chapter, and I promise to try to never ever take so long again. It was completely unfair of me, and, really, most of that time, all I needed was a kick up the backside.

Review replies:

ThePranksterQueens – I'm glad you liked it! I'm afraid that I didn't update as soon as I could have done, but I did update, and it _is_ a nice long chapter, and I think that it advances the plot at least. Or at least sorts some stuff out between Caroline and Sirius, which is always good.

Heart of the Phoenix – Another new reviewer! Good! I'm thrilled you like the entire series – it's my baby, really, and, seriously, having an entire universe and at least eight major, live, kicking, really rather feisty, older-than-you characters as your baby is hard work, but worth it. I hope you continue to enjoy it!

Prongs76 – Ah! The old faithful! Glad to see you! Well, I've updated at last, and here's chapter six. See, Caroline and Sirius were just far too proud, apart from anything else, to apologise, and partly what they were doing was, as Caroline said, just ammunition for the argument later, and they needed to have a proper argument which they could sort out by finishing properly, was all. They had that here, and, of course, it ended with a bang. Oh, yes. Peter. Poor guy – he really doesn't have all that many fans, does he? I mean, he made a few mistakes – who doesn't? Well. That little soapbox is one I should really get off in my review reply and get onto the next chapter, so we can see just what that delivery was about…

Review topic: Girl With a Pearl Earring. Have you read it? Did you like it? Did you find it immensely boring? Were you forced to write an essay with the title: "Chevalier has said that the ending is the way it is because nothing else would have been possible. Discuss the subtle ways in which the novel deals with poverty and gender." on it? Or did you not? I did, and I would like to hear your epic stories about this really, when you get down to it, basically OK book.

Larka :)


	7. The Talk

**Disclaimer:** Larka of Britain says – "NO!"

It's from a World War I poster saying: Women of Britain say – "GO!"

God. I don't even own my _disclaimer_.

Chapter 7: The Talk

* * *

Previously: _He leaned in, and kissed her. He could taste the salt in her tears that had coursed past her mouth, but mostly all he could taste was her – a strange, unique taste that he couldn't relate to any food, but it was the right taste, he always felt. She was kissing him back, now, and they, suddenly unbalanced, fell down onto the bed, oh, and she was moving her hands lower, and they were unbuttoning his shirt, he was moving his hands in response, and they slid up her side, making her inhale deeply, and still their hands were moving, and still they were kissing, until suddenly she was on top of him, straddling his waist, holding him possessively and kissing him intensely._

* * *

'And then she told me I'd be a cocktail!'

Lily laughed with Sarah, and passed her the plate of brownies.

'I like your mum,' commented Sarah, taking one. 'Apart from anything, she's a great cook.'

Lily smiled, and lay back to stretch out on her bed.

'So, did you tell him?' asked Sarah.

Lily nodded.

'He laughed.' She sighed contentedly and sat up. 'You know, it's nice, this.'

'What?'

'Just spending time hanging out, just us two. We used to do that all the time, but… we don't anymore.'

'No, you're right, we don't,' said Sarah thoughtfully. 'Lots of stuff has changed since Hogwarts.'

'Yeah… still, it's good that we're doing this. I mean, I love Caroline and Suzie, but sometimes I want to hang out with just you.'

There was suddenly a loud pop and Caroline appeared in the room.

'Hello, guys. What are you doing?'

Sarah and Lily exchanged a look and both had to bite down a laugh. Caroline looked from one to the other, shrugged, and bent down for a brownie.

'Where's Suzie?' she asked.

Lily looked at her watch. 'Late. But she's never very late; she'll be here in a minute.'

'Good. I have something I want… need… want to tell you.'

Sarah let out a quiet squeak and Lily grinned.

'You shouldn't have said that. Sarah will burst now.'

'I won't,' said Sarah, blushing, but within in a minute she was staring at Caroline with such intensity it seemed that she was trying to force the secret out of her by willpower alone.

Caroline, uncharacteristically, didn't seem to notice, or at least didn't make a comment about it. She took another brownie and sat down, staring distractedly out of Lily's window onto the streets of London, her back to Sarah. Lily and Sarah looked at each other helplessly.

'Caroline?' said Lily tentatively.

This simple word was enough to make Caroline crack. She sighed, and her friends watched her warily.

'It's…it's…' she said. Finally, she took a deep breath, and still not facing them, finished, 'I slept with Sirius.'

There was silence. Caroline turned around. Lily was staring at her, a look of dismay on her face, and Sarah simply looked thoughtful.

'Well say something!' said Caroline.

'Oh, sorry, I was just surprised,' said Sarah.

'Surprised? Why?'

'I don't know really, I just –'

She was about to continue when there was a pop and Suzie appeared in the room, grinning and fiddling with her left braid.

'Sorry I'm late,' she said, giggling. 'Peter wouldn't let me leave.' She sat down and then noticed the tense looks on everyone's faces. 'Hey, what did I miss?'

'I just told the girls that I slept with Sirius.'

Suzie's grin widened.

'Oh, that's great!' she exclaimed. 'So how was it? Was he any good? Did it hurt? Oh! Was it your first time?'

All three swivelled their heads round to stare at her. Lily's look of dismay had been upgraded to a look of utter horror, and Sarah laughed at this, albeit feeling slightly confused. Caroline seemed grateful that Suzie had managed to break the awkward moment of before.

'It was…it was good, he was, it did, and yes, it was. But, Suzie…have you…'

Suzie looked down, her tongue between her teeth, suddenly seeming shy.

'Mmm…'

Caroline grinned, Sarah made a noise of interest, and Lily looked as if she was about to have a cardiac arrest, or had just had one, and fell down flat on her back.

'You and Peter?' said Sarah.

'No, me and Remus,' replied Suzie, rolling her eyes. 'Yes, me and Peter!'

'How long's this been going on?' asked Caroline.

'Well,' Suzie sighed, smiling, and launched into a monologue, 'it was a couple of weeks before the N.E.W.T.s,' Lily's eyes widened, but she didn't say anything, 'you know, when Lily was being a revision Nazi. I can't remember exactly what day it was, but we'd been revising _all day_, and we hadn't had a proper break in ages, but Lily didn't seem to notice. I think she'd given up on Sirius, James, and you, Caroline, but she and Remus and Sarah were still at it, even if Remus and Sarah were really just flirting over their textbooks–'

Sarah flushed, and Caroline said, 'Back to the point, Suzie.'

'Oh, right,' said Suzie, taking her turn to flush. 'Well, anyway, Peter and I had given up, and we were making out on the sofa, but Lily kept interrupting us to waft Potions notes at us, and so we decided to get away from her. But it was after curfew, so we _had_ to go up to the dorm. One thing led to another, and, well…we decided we were ready, and did it.'

'And we never knew! Why didn't you tell us?' asked Sarah.

'It's always the quiet ones,' commented Caroline, grinning. Suzie laughed.

'Well, I just never got around to it. Didn't know how you'd react, anyway. Pass me a brownie?'

Sarah did so, and then Lily, who hadn't spoken since Caroline had told them her news, squeaked, 'In the _dorm_?'

'It's not like we did it on your bed,' said Suzie.

'Yes, but...' Lily grimaced. 'And you have _braids_.'

Suzie turned an uncharacteristically sharp look on Lily.

'You can have braids and sex, Lily. The two aren't mutually exclusive.'

'Oh, _God_,' groaned Lily, and she rolled onto her stomach to bury her face in her pillow.

'Anyway, I think it's great. I'm happy for you guys,' said Sarah. Suzie beamed at her.

'But what were you saying before Suzie arrived?' said Caroline. 'You know, about being surprised…'

'Oh, that,' shrugged Sarah. 'I just thought… you know… I mean, since you live together and all… that you would have already…'

'Bonked? Banged? Got it on?' said Suzie, grinning purposefully at Lily, who moaned.

'Yeah, that,' said Sarah laughing.

Caroline looked down. 'We just… didn't.'

'Really? _You_?'

The small smile fell from Caroline's face. She paused, looking a bit affronted. She looked up at Sarah again.

'What's that supposed to mean?' she asked, and Sarah instantly knew she had said the wrong thing.

'"Really? _You_?",' Caroline repeated. 'What about me?'

'I didn't mean anything, Caroline, really.'

'Funny,' she said in a voice that told everyone that she didn't really find it funny at all. 'I would have sworn that you did.'

'I… well… I just meant that you seem like the type of person who wouldn't want to wait.'

'Oh. Like a slut, you mean?'

'No, that's not-'

'No, it _was_ what you were implying, wasn't it? "Caroline's so goofy all the time, she couldn't possibly want to wait a while before jumping in bed. She couldn't possibly feel insecure about having sex for the first time, not Caroline".'

'That's not what I meant!' said Sarah, getting angry herself now.

'I won't sit here and let you judge me like that! You're supposed to be one of my best friends, but you obviously know bugger all about me! And _you_,' she rounded on Lily, 'sitting there blushing like a sunset, thinking your frigid little thoughts. I've had it with all your bloody prudery, Lily! One day, you're going to have to accept that you will eventually lose your virginity. You're going to get married! You love him! But you won't even touch him. How do you think that makes him feel? I hate this attitude that you have, that sex is something wrong, something to be ashamed of, and that good girls shouldn't have any. And you are a good girl, aren't you Lily? You think you are, you think you're so mature, but really, you've not grown up at all!'

'Caroline,' said Suzie evenly. 'Stop it now; you've made your point. I happen to agree with you, but there's such a thing as taking it too far. Calm down before you start an enormous row.'

'And if I think I _should_ start an enormous row?' Caroline asked, though the anger had drained out of her voice somewhat.

'Calm down anyway. You've made your point.'

Caroline opened her mouth, and seemed about to say something, but closed it again, and took another brownie off the plate.

'Caroline,' said Sarah, taking advantage of Caroline's mouth being too full for her to speak, 'I didn't mean anything like that, honest.' Caroline's eyebrows rose, 'I'm sorry – I know it might have come out like that, but that's really not what I meant. It was just a thought, I don't know what I really meant, Caroline, I just…'

Caroline had finished her mouthful and was looking at Sarah, her eyebrows still raised. She let them fall and smiled at her friend. 'It's alright, Sarah. I suppose I'm still a little insecure about it myself. But you touched a nerve, and there was a point I wanted to make. I'm sorry too.'

Suzie looked over to the bed, where Lily was still lying on her stomach, her face in the pillow.

'Lily?' she asked, gently.

Lily shook her head, but didn't turn over. Caroline started to frown.

'Don't think I'm going to apologise, Lily, because I still meant what I said. I might not still be angry, but that doesn't make my point any less valid.'

At this, Lily turned over and sat up to face Caroline. Her eyes looked just a touch red, but if she had been crying, she certainly wasn't any more.

'I don't think you're _bad_, Caroline, and I don't think I'm a good 'girl'. God, d'you know how puerile that sounds? I know that was your point. Caroline, I don't _try_ to blush. It's not a conscious decision. And I don't think that you are wrong for, for having sex, Caroline.' She could feel the blush creeping up her cheeks and hated herself for it. 'I don't think you're wrong! It was just a shock to me; I didn't think any of you would have yet!'

Suzie laughed. 'So there's Sarah thinking that Caroline and Sirius would have already shagged, and there's you thinking that she's going to be chaste till her early forties. Takes all sorts to make a world.'

Sarah started to grin at Suzie. Lily and Caroline, both their mouths open, about to speak, closed them, and turned to their friend too. Suzie smiled.

'Brownie, anyone?'

* * *

I admit, most of this chapter was written by Hepsa and Lamia, rather than the normal Gammaing and Betaing. This is because I am a complete prude. Just look at Lily – that's me. Apparently I actually blushed while reading the chapter. Just goes to show, really. But I am getting help. I go to PA (Prudes Anonymous) every Thursday, and it's really starting to get through.

Review replies:

Beatles.and.HP.obsesser – I'm glad you liked the chapter. The book's alright, really, I don't mind it, but an incredibly long and annoying essay on it… just a little too much.

moony07 – I'm glad you liked it. I liked Sirius' speech too, it was sort of a ramble that I wanted to get down on paper, and I was really surprised it came out so coherent! I hope this chapter doesn't break the PG-13-ness of the fic. I just think, well, they're all 18, out of school, Suzie's nearly 19, Caroline and Sirius _do_ **_live_** together, and so it's inevitable. Never mind.

Prongs76 – I'm glad you liked that bit. It was quite like some arguments I have with my mum – I wanted to make it sound realistic without my own brattishness, seeing as she's quite a few years older than me, and I also wanted to avoid CAPSLOCK!LILY. I'm not sure how well I succeeded, but I did try. The wedding won't be for a while, I'm sorry –there's a lot that happens in-between, but read our bio to find out the alternative title of the fic, and remember that you might not have to wait _too_ long for a girl in a meringue.

S4lty1n3g4r – I'm glad you liked it. I'm glad you liked the other chapters and JIG too - I've been reading your reviews with delight. Thanks – here's the update!

Paddie's Girl – I posted as soon as I could – here it is! I can understand why you wouldn't like Lily's part, but I think that there has been a lot of tension between Lily and her mum – she needed to be reassured about Lily and James' relationship. Lily went off to Hogwarts at the age of 11, and now, as soon as she's out, she's getting married. It's hard for Beatrice.

Super Cara – I'm sorry your computer was having issues, and I'm glad you liked JIG. Here's the chapter, I hope you like it!

Review topic: Towels. Sometimes they can be really fluffy, and sometimes they can be all worn, and they always get worn most around the edges. And they're fluffiest the first time you ever use them, and never quite that fluffy again. Why is this? Discuss.

Larka :)


	8. Growing Up

**Disclaimer:** I own it. Of course I do. My other personality is J.K. Rowling. You believe me, right?

I usually do an author's note at the end of the chapter, but I feel that this makes more sense here. I would like to dedicate this chapter to my Grandma, who recently passed away. She never put a damper on my dubious creativity, and she was as prone to random outbursts of song as I am. In memory of her, I would like to give her this chapter, simply for being her, and being gone – I never missed her while she was there.

Chapter 8: Growing Up

* * *

Lily woke up, rolled over, and fell out of bed.

'Careful!' called her father from the next room.

'Really useful now,' she muttered, rubbing her bottom as she got up. 'Are you just leaving?'

He peeked round her bedroom door. 'Just now. Do I get a kiss-hug from my big girl?'

Lily put her hands on her hips and frowned. 'I thought I was your _little_ girl. Petunia was always your big girl.'

Her father smiled ruefully. 'Yes, well, Petunia has gone off, and you've got quite big yourself now.'

Lily smiled back at him, walked across to the doorway, flung her arms around him, and kissed him.

'Have a good day, Daddy. Work hard.'

He smiled. 'You bossy wotsit.'

She laughed. 'Now, get out of my room and go off to work. Go on, shoo.'

He shook his head in amusement, but left the room. Lily smiled as he shut the door behind himself, and heard him go downstairs; heard Janie's replying miaow to her father's cooing, her mother's goodbye, and the front door close.

'Let's see. What have I got today?'

Lily walked over to her desk and picked up a memo. One Muggleborn girl in Settle, Yorkshire. Probably wouldn't be up yet, she thought, but it never hurts to be ready. She was just taking her pyjama top off when James Apparated into the room with a soft pop.

'James!' she shrieked, tugging her top down hastily, and sitting down on the bed. 'I've told you about Apparating into my room first thing in the morning. I was changing! Go somewhere else!'

James didn't leave, but rolled his eyes. 'How old are you, Lily Flower?'

Lily frowned. 'I'm eighteen. What's your point?'

He didn't answer. 'What's that on your finger?'

She looked down at her hands. 'What? Oh, my engagement ring.' She twirled it around her finger. 'Why?'

'So we're eighteen and engaged, but you still get annoyed when I come into your bedroom when you're changing.' He shot her a look.

She stopped twirling her ring. 'Shouldn't you be at Auror training?'

He waved a hand dismissively. 'I have the morning off.' He moved to sit next to her on the bed. She shuffled away as he sat down.

'Really, Lily, what's the problem?'

She sighed, and turned away from him, so she wouldn't have to see his face as she said it. 'I… I… I don't want you to see me… in a state of undress.'

He laughed. 'Why not?'

She looked upset, and started biting her lip nervously.

'If you do, it might lead to… Hanky Panky.'

He laughed again. 'Hanky Panky? What do you mean by _Hanky Panky_?'

'I mean Hanky Panky, James,' she said, possibly more sharply than was strictly necessary. 'What more explanation do you need?'

He rolled his eyes in exasperation. 'Oh, fine. But what's wrong with a little Hanky Panky?'

Lily sighed again, and turned to face him. 'We're going to be married, James. Can't you wait?'

James sighed in understanding. 'So this is what this is all about, then, eh?'

Lily nodded, and felt horribly guilty at the look on his face.

'It's not because I don't love you, James, I love you very much. It's nothing like that. It's just… I don't want to before I'm married. I know that might not be very fair, but I just… '

He stood up, turning away from her so that she couldn't see his face, ad Lily felt the bed spring up beneath her. When he turned back, he had a too-bright smile plastered on.

'All right then. You get changed and I'll go and talk to your mother. I think I hear Ben barking.'

* * *

Lily sighed as he left the room to go and play with her family dog. She felt dreadful. Everything that Caroline had said about her, for want of a better word, prudery, was true. James _did_ feel neglected, and she _was_ eighteen – she was supposed to be an adult, but the idea of S.E.X. still made her blush like an eleven-year-old. She felt stupid, being embarrassed. There had to be something she could do about it, but she couldn't for the life of her think what!

Suddenly, the image of Suzie tossing a braid over her shoulder and laughing at Lily's shocked look came to her. If anyone knew what to do, it would be Suzie.

She pulled her pyjamas off and got dressed like she used to when her friends changed the time on her alarm clock, thought of Suzie's house, twirled, and Apparated to the front gate. She drew in a sharp breath – October was _cold_ this far north! She walked swiftly up the path and rang the doorbell. After a moment, Claire Gibson opened the door, a look of faint surprise on her face, and she smiled at Lily.

'Come in, it's cold out there. I'm not sure Suzie and Peter are up, but feel free to go and check.'

Lily smiled, and made her way up to Suzie's room, where, no matter what Suzie's mother's sleeping arrangements might be, no matter how many floors apart she had planned, she knew Peter would be. She reached the door, and paused before knocking. Peter in Suzie's room seemed completely oxymoronic to Lily. The door was white, and on it there was a small china plaque, proclaiming the simple word 'Suzie' in fancy writing, with flowers intertwining the letters. Inside, she knew the layout. The whole room was a fairytale pink-and-white combination – a soft pink, deep-pile carpet, white walls, pink curtains with unnecessary lace over-curtains covering the two bay windows, a white dressing table and mirror with a matching chair, and a four-poster bed, where Lily knew Peter would be.

She knocked on the door, making sure that she made as much noise as possible. There was a sleepy, stumbling scrambling inside, and Suzie opened the door in a fluffy white dressing-gown which she was still fastening, her long blonde hair hanging down loose, making her look strangely ethereal and angelic.

'Oh, Lily, it's you! Come in, come in. Peter, it's just Lily.'

Lily walked into the room, and was mildly satisfied to see that her prediction had been correct – the room was still the same as ever, and Peter was in the four-poster bed, wearing a dressing-gown, just like Suzie's, except that his was blue, and he was reading a book.

'Lily!' he said brightly. 'Lovely to see you. How are you and James?'

Lily winced briefly. 'We're fine…' she trailed off, feeling stupid to ask how they were – if it was their relationship she was asking about, there was simply no need.

'Suzie, I need to talk to you a minute.' She dragged Suzie into her en-suite bathroom, and then stopped for a moment to collect her thoughts before speaking.

'Suzie. James came round this morning, and I was just getting my pyjama top off. I pulled it down, and…' Lily related the story of that morning, ending with, 'So now he feels all rejected and upset!' How can I persuade him that I still love him, even if I don't want to sleep with him?'

Suzie looked thoughtful for a moment, but no longer than that. 'It's simple. You just… act affectionate around him, hug him, be more… touchy-feely, you know. Just act like you want to be around him. Act like you want to do stuff with him, even if it's not actual sex.'

Lily nodded, feeling supremely odd getting love-life tips from Suzie, who, she had always felt, no matter what was technically true, was like her little sister.

'But… like what, Suzie? I mean… Ugh, now I feel so stupid. What can I do?'

Suzie looked sympathetically at her friend, and Lily suddenly realised that Suzie was a whole four months older than her, and, despite her braids, nine months older than Caroline.

'Suzie?'

Suzie sighed, and smiled. 'Just… be more, I dunno, lovey-dovey. Tactile. The key is really physical affection. If you give him more, you'll be surprised how little he wants. Let him in a little more in your life. Let him put his arm around you, let him kiss you. Let him… touch more of you.'

Lily could almost feel herself start to blush, and swore to herself she wouldn't. She managed to stop herself from grinning as she felt the blush miraculously recede.

'Thanks, Suzie. Thanks, that's really helpful.' She hugged her friend tightly. 'What would I do without you?'

Suzie giggled. 'Oh, I don't know. You'd probably blush a lot more and be left with the mistaken impression that braids and sex are mutually exclusive.'

Lily let go of her and grinned. They left the bathroom, and Lily turned to Peter again.

'It was nice to speak to you, Peter. I haven't seen you in a while.'

He nodded thoughtfully. 'Never mind. Are you free on November the actual eighteenth, for Suzie's birthday?'

Lily nodded enthusiastically. 'I'm sure we are. If we're not, we will be. I wouldn't miss it for the world.'

Peter grinned. 'Be there, or be square.'

Lily and Suzie laughed.

'We'll be there, don't worry,' said Lily, as she watched her friends kiss. 'I'd better go now, but it was nice seeing you both.'

She Apparated back to her bedroom, and turned her thoughts to the order of the day, the first item on her list being breakfast.

* * *

Well, we have GCSE mocks really soon, so we probably won't be able to update for a while. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

And, for last chapter, I would like to take this opportunity to say that it was all completely a joint effort and I did practically none of the basic writing, so it was all down to my fellow-collaborators, Lamia and Hepsa.

Review replies:

Beatles.and.HP.obsesser – No, I've never seen that show. What's it about? I'm glad you liked the chapter – I wasn't sure about it in and of myself, and it was really Hepsa and Lamia who wrote it (Great writing, by the way, guys), but if you liked it, then I'm glad. Thanks!

Hepsa also would like to know, from one Beatles obsessor to another, what your favourite Beatles song is.

moony07 – Well, yeah, Peter was the first. And Suzie. I feel your pain with the towels. That is really terrible. Might I suggest a counsellor? Mine is really very good, if you want, I'll give you her number.

Prongs76 – I'm glad you liked the chapter. I was quite proud of the basic idea (though I can't take much credit for the actual words that graced your computer screen), but I was kind of worried about the actual response it would get. I'm glad you liked it though.

Don't worry about homecoming. I'd go, if I were you. A chance to be with your friends and the like. I like wearing dresses, no matter how awful they are, so I might be a little bit biased, though I'm sure it'll look fine.

Review topic: Mock Exams. They test us within an inch of our sad, sorry little lives anyway, and so they decide to train us up for the real thing about seven months in advance. When we haven't actually covered the whole syllabus.

Larka :)


	9. Birthday Presents

Disclaimer – No, I don't own it. I never have and I never will. So I'm possibly illegally playing with someone else's characters while writing CIG, when _really_ I should be revising for my History Mock exam. Ah well, it's a funny old world.

Chapter 9: Birthday Presents

* * *

The days were slipping swiftly through October, getting shorter and darker and colder, while Lily changed from wearing thicker and thicker tights to trousers, and was now even letting James stay in the room while she changed, as long as she was sure he was looking the other way. Before long, it was getting dark before Lily had a chance to walk Ben a second time, and the shops were advertising their fireworks to excited schoolchildren who were busy making straw dummies again. 

It was November the fifth, and Lily was having the yearly fireworks party, this year inviting round Sarah to make up for the time that they had tried to have alone. It was just getting to half past seven, and so had been dark for a couple of hours, and Lily was worried. Sarah hadn't arrived yet, and she was sure she'd said she'd be there from half-five to half-six. Lily went to check on all the fireworks again, rather than think about what could possibly have happened to Sarah. Her mother was looking out from the kitchen at the back garden.

Suddenly, Lily heard a crack behind her. She whirled around, her wand out, praying that it was Sarah. She wasn't usually so paranoid, but these were dangerous times, and Sarah was _very_ late. It was also unlike her to Apparate so loudly.

'Sarah!' Lily let out a sigh of relief, but… Sarah was crying. No. She had been crying.

'Sarah! What's the matter?' Sarah wordlessly handed her a piece of parchment. On the top was Suzie's handwriting, followed by a handwriting Lily didn't know.

_Sarah, Lily – I know you're meeting up. I just got this from Eleanor Smith, you remember, my friend in first year? I thought you should see this. _

_**Suzie,**_

_**I don't really know what to say – we haven't been friends, really, since first year, when, truth be told, I behaved abominably towards you. This isn't me trying to repair our friendship – it's been too long, and we have different friends now. I just thought that I would tell you the news, and hopefully, sometime, you might have a chance to write back to me. **_

**_Do you remember, in fifth and sixth year, Sirius Black (he's going out with one of your friends – you might remember this, you might not) had a girlfriend – Ravenclaw, curly brown hair, tall, big brown eyes, a lovely smile, and a really memorable laugh. She didn't laugh often, but when she did, you remembered it. To be frank, it sounded like a duck having a fit. Amelia Woodbridge. She was my best friend._**

**_Well, I have just received an owl from her current boyfriend – one of the Prewett brothers, Fabian, saying that she… Oh, Suzie, this is hard to write, _**the writing suddenly became a lot shakier, and Lily realised that some of the blots that had been hard to make out in the dark were, in fact, where tears had fallen on the parchment, **_the owl said that she, and her family – both her parents, and her lovely little sister Emma – she was only two, and the sweetest thing. She used to call me Beleanor and squeal at me until I spun her round in the air; they, all of them, have been killed. The Dark Mark was over their house, and _**the ink changed colour, the person writing it had paused between the two words, and the ink had dried, becoming darker **_she was Muggleborn. I never thought it was important. She was just _her_, not Muggleborn or pureblood, or anything. And now she's gone. Suzie, I wanted you to know, and I thought you should, _**

_**With love, **_

_**Eleanor Smith**_

'Lily,' said Sarah quietly, muffled by her tears, 'I'm _scared_. Really, I am.'

Lily looked up at Sarah, who looked completely awful. It was a painful mixture of shock and tears. Lily hugged her friend, and suddenly understood what Sarah was saying. The life they had been living – staying with their parents, going to work every day, just as they had always planned, working through all the troubles in their relationships, all of this, it wasn't real. It was just a front. To themselves and the world. They had always known that the grown-ups were fighting, were working, were doing what had to be done, and they, as children, were untouchable. Were safe at Hogwarts. But they were no longer children. They _were_ the adults now. They were the ones who had to work. They were the ones who had to fight and die, do what had to be done, and face loss in the war they had suddenly been flung into.

Lily remembered Amelia. She had been a lovely girl and she couldn't believe that she was dead. She certainly remembered her laugh, and it just seemed surreal that someone their age, less involved than they were, could be _dead_. Could be gone, so quickly. Just like that, here today, gone tomorrow. She had faced Voldemort once, and it had seemed, looking back, almost like a game. Some bizarre arcade game, where defeating the baddie was what you had to do, but you could still walk away unscathed if you didn't. But, she suddenly realised, that was not what it was like at all. If you _didn't_ defeat the baddie, he could, would have no qualms about, and therefore _undoubtedly_ would kill you. So much had happened since she had left Hogwarts, and she suddenly longed for it again – the simpler time, when only Transfiguration homework was a matter of life and death, and all of life's problems could be solved with a Butterbeer and a chocolate frog. She could hear Sarah still sniffling on her shoulder, and patted her on the back, and broke away.

'Come on, Sarah, let's get inside. We can watch the fireworks later, how about that?'

Sarah nodded weakly, and Lily knew that she too would soon become a watery, crying wreck, but as long as she had the strength to take Sarah inside and give her a mug of tea before collapsing, she didn't care.

The eighteenth of November dawned cold, crisp and clear, and Lily knew immediately when she got out of bed that she would have no Muggleborn children to see today, and she could spend the day walking Ben, playing with Janie, suddenly there was a pop, and, of course, _talking_ to James.

Lily turned to him, a smile on her face. 'What have you got Suzie for her…?' She screamed. It wasn't James.

She ran back to the bed and got her wand.

'Woah, woah,' said the figure in her bedroom, raising his hands in a submissive gesture. 'Don't you recognise me?'

Lily let out a sigh of relief and felt like she was going to cry. It was Sirius.

'What _are_ you doing in my bedroom, first thing in the morning? James I tolerate, but not you. Out. Out!'

Sirius, showing more stupidity and sticking-power than Lily thought it was possible, even from him, didn't move.

'Don't you want to know why I'm here?'

Of course, Lily reflected, he could just be playing to her curiosity, knowing that she wouldn't curse him while he was explaining why he had found it necessary to appear in her bedroom stupidly early in the morning.

'Alright then,' she grumbled, 'out with it.'

'Well,' he said, coming to sit beside her on the bed and taking on a conspiratorial air, 'it's to do with Suzie's birthday party this evening…'

* * *

Peter was very nervous. Tonight, important things were going to happen. It was Suzie's birthday party, but it was more than that. He had been planning it for so long, making sure that it was perfect, and it could be the start of a new life for him. He just had to make sure Suzie didn't find out yet…

He shook his head, as if to clear it of the thoughts, and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him, so as not to wake Suzie up.

A few minutes later, Suzie woke up to not finding Peter next to her. This was unusual, but not alarming. He had certainly been there when she had fallen asleep, but he was demonstrably not here now. She sighed, and rolled over. It was her birthday today, and she intended to thoroughly enjoy it. This would start, she decided sleepily, with a lie-in.

* * *

Sarah was sitting in the window of her bedroom, watching the sun come up. The only good thing about winter – she was occasionally awake for it. She reached over to the table and picked up her birthday gift for Suzie. She was pleased that she'd thought of it; it was a photo she'd found of Suzie and her after the disco. Suzie had her fingers up behind Sarah's head, and Sarah kept turning to see this, at which point Suzie would look innocent and make a what-me? face. She'd found a silver frame to put it in, and she knew it would be perfect. She put it down, picked up her hair brush, and turned her gaze back to the window.

Remus knew what was going on at Suzie's party, and as he watched Sarah brush her hair, humming, as she did every morning, 'Oh What a Beautiful Morning', he felt at peace with the world, just hoping that it would succeed. He had clubbed together with Sirius and James for the birthday present, and they had got her a soft toy pumpkin. James had found it somewhere and couldn't remember exactly where, and it had a rather sweet face, and it was a nice gift, really. He just hoped that Suzie would like it, though it did seem rather her kind of thing.

* * *

James appeared in his girlfriend's room to find her talking animatedly to his best friend, still in her pyjamas. Many people would have found this a cause for alarm, or even jealousy, but James merely locked him in the bathroom, and proceeded to thoroughly kiss Lily senseless.

In the London flat, Caroline was asleep, but if she had been awake, she would have been cheerful. However, she was not, and so she was demonstrably not wondering where Sirius was until he Apparated back into the room, having finally realised that James was not going to let him out any time soon, as the plunger noises from the next room would testify.

* * *

Everyone else arrived at Suzie's house at six o'clock, grinned at the thoroughly pumpkin-themed food, and hugged, kissed the cheek of, or shook the hand of their hostess and host. Before long, they were all sitting down, having caught up on chat, and were munching on a cake with probably very low nutritional value, but none of them cared. There was a distinct lull in the conversation.

'I know,' said Lily brightly, 'it's time for presents!'

Everyone seemed to perk up a little, apart from Peter, who looked distinctly ill. James gave him a fleeting, bracing smile.

'What have you got, Sarah?' asked Lily cheerfully.

Suzie smiled as Sarah handed her the beautifully wrapped package. She tore into the paper, much to Lily's frustration, who was a saver, and grinned.

'Oh, Sarah!' she said, holding the photo-frame in one hand and Hugging her friend with the other arm, 'this is lovely. Oh, look at us!'

Everyone crowded round the photo to see the subjects, who smiled and waved up at them.

'Ooh, Sarah,' said Caroline seriously, 'I think that was when you had that really bad zit. You can see it, just there.'

She pointed, and everyone laughed, apart from Sarah herself, who smiled despite herself, and shoved her friend.

'So, Caroline,' said Suzie, once again holding court, 'what's that I see in your bag?'

Caroline looked down at her bag, where her present was plainly peeking out. 'A tissue? D'you want one, Suzie?'

Lily rolled her eyes. 'Just give her the damn present, Caroline.'

Caroline grinned, took the package out of her bag, and handed it to Suzie. Again, she tore into the paper, and squealed.

'Oh, Caroline! This is lovely!' Caroline had really done rather well this year. She had bought her friend a miniature pumpkin plant, and you could just see a pumpkin on the verge of orange – it was about the size of Suzie's thumb. 'That is truly gorgeous, Caroline, where on earth did you get the idea?'

Caroline shrugged, and smiled, accepted a hug from Suzie and was about to sit down, when she suddenly said, 'If you'll excuse me, Suzie, I need the loo.' Suzie nodded, and then Remus turned to her.

'We thought you'd like this. It's from me, James and Sirius.'

He passed her the bundle of wrapping paper, and Sirius slipped unobtrusively from the room, after Caroline. After opening it, Suzie squealed again.

'Aaaw! Oh, guys, that's… adorable! You…' she showed them all. 'That is really lovely. I don't know where you guys think of these things, really, I don't.'

Remus grinned as she hugged them all, and said, 'I'm sorry, Suzie, but I rather need the loo too. First on the left, right?'

Suzie nodded, and Lily passed her her present.

'Hmm. It's from Lily. It feels very… solid, and blocky. I wonder. Could it possibly be a book?'

Lily scowled exaggeratedly. Sarah laughed.

'Oh, Suzie, you know she hates suspense being ruined. Just open it.'

Suzie grinned again, and tore into the paper again, making Lily wince, and grinned.

'Only you, Lily. Only you.'

Lily had bought her two books – the first, a book of Pumpkin recipes, the second, a fluffy Mills and Boon style romance.

'I thought the girl looked a bit like you, Suzie. Oh, Sarah!'

Sarah grimaced. 'I'm sorry. Lily, could you take me?' Sarah was sporting a spectacular nosebleed. Lily nodded vigorously, and escorted her friend out of the room. James looked around at the almost-empty party room, and smiled.

'Well, there seems to be rather a party in the loo, and I'm bursting. Do you mind if I…?'

Suzie shook her head, now looking distinctly puzzled.

As soon as James had closed the door behind him, Peter, who had been turning greener and greener, turned to Suzie.

'I suppose it's my turn for presents now?'

Suzie looked at him a little oddly. 'Aren't you going to wait until the others…?'

He shook his head at her unfinished question. 'Never mind them. This'll be alright. Suzie, you remember last year I gave you that jewellery?'

Suzie nodded, and touched her throat; she was wearing it all.

He nodded in reply, and moved in front of her. 'Well, this year,' he said, kneeling down on one knee, 'I thought I'd give you a ring to match the rest of it.'

He took a box out of his pocket and opened it to show her. Inside was a beautiful white-gold ring, with a single sapphire set into it.

'Oh, Peter,' she breathed, everything else forgotten, 'it's beautiful!'

'That'll do for a yes,' he grinned, and slid it onto her finger.

'As will 'I thought I'd give you a matching ring' will do for 'will you marry me', eh?' said Suzie, smiling like a Cheshire cat who's got the cream.

'Oh shh,' he said, bent in, and kissed her.

* * *

Well, I had this partially written before the exams, and wrote the rest of it on a cold Saturday evening when I probably should have been doing Biology revision. I would like to get the Christmas chapter up before Christmas, which I should be able to do if I get a wiggle on (strangely, the more busy I _should_ be, with exams and revision and all, the more free time I have, during study leave), and so, well, don't expect the next chapter up _too_ soon, but soon enough – I'll probably have some free time the week after mocks, at least.

Review replies:

Prongs76 – I'm glad you liked the chapter. I hope that now we've got away from Lily and Sex, and to Suzie and Lurve. Which is how the world should be, in my personal opinion. We see here how Lily takes the advice, and personally, I think anyone who manages to get Lily to let anyone see her with her skirt off deserves a medal, so, a round of applause to Suzie!

Moony07 – Yep, mock exams suck. See, they're all scary and stuff, but they're not quite real, so you aren't sure what to think, and plus, you get two seconds revision time. Less, if you're like me and spend it all writing fanfiction.

Review Topic: Physics – We had our exam in that today. Can anyone out there explain _properly_ why seismic S waves and seismic P waves show how the earth is made out of layers? Please?

Larka :)


	10. HIATUS

**Disclaimer** – I own none of these concepts, places, or ideas. A few OCs are mine, but other than that, it's all JKR's.

Chapter no-number: HIATUS

* * *

This is just a note to let everyone know (if you haven't already been able to guess) that CIG is on hiatus. We realised that many of the concepts, and certainly the writing, of JIG was awful, and therefore much needed to be changed, and so are in the slow process of rewriting it. 

We will be writing more soon, but we had only six chapters vaguely half-written, but we realised that we were going to completely change the first chapter again, therefore need to, well, write it, get it Beta'd externally, and generally do a lot of changing before we post anything. There will not be a CIG update for a long time, but hopefully there will be a JIG update in the not-too-distant future.

Our profile explains more.

* * *

Larka and Hepsa :) 


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